I started this blog on a wild whim in May. I had no idea what I was doing how to proceed past the few posts that I had already created and that were – in all honesty – mostly game content with little to nothing else. Since I started Genius Loci I have released over 43 monsters to this blog, 10 spells, 3 free adventures, 5 races and 7 or 8 classes! This on top of about 200 other posts ranging from reviews, rants, ideas about how to run games, and kickstarter barking.
When this started up I figured by the end of the year I would have maybe 10,000 its to the blog, Instead I am ranging some where in the 40,000s with my most popular post ( Five things to remember in a post-apocalyptic setting) having over 1,546 views. Again wow!
I have all the people who read this blog to thank for the success (or apparent success in my mind) I have been a part of. 124 followers, 11 blog centric followers. People +1ing me, commenting on what I do, and seemingly enjoying and using what I am creating! Once again, let me repeat, wow! The support of this community is what has allowed me to do something that was previously only a pipe dream to me to be published and to sell! The sell part is important because what is the point of having a work if no one reads it or plays it? Currently the three products I have made this year sit like this: Horus Adrift – 127 copies sold, Cartographer’s Guide to the Creatures of Eira (on double sale until tomorrow morning) – 30 copies sold, and Blossom in the Darkness (A Short Fiction Piece) – 12 copies sold.
All an all I think that 2013 was a wonderful year for Genius Loci and as I said before this year was made wonderful by the community, the readers, the commentors and the people who I have grown to regard as friends, peers and collegues.
Now moving in 2014 …
1. The next Adventure in my Edge of Space (created by Matt Jackson) arc, Helena’s Gauntlet is running smoothly toward completion. As with Horus Adrift it will by a PWYW title and should round out between 15-20 pages. right now a big part of Helena is trying to create a city map that looks like a futuristic tactical map but still usable by Game Masters and Players alike.
2. Speaking of Edge of Space I am currently in the process of adapting the rules (and once down begging Matt’s permission) for use with a more space opera/serial pulp theme.
3. Lights over Innsfjord is so near completion that I can feel the tendrils of the Outside attempting to draw me through a fissure in reality. The entire alpha build of the game is nearly done! And once that is complete it will be time to beg, borrow and steal the money needed to hire a mapper to do the considerable amount of maps for this one (1 crypt, 1 temple, 3 cave, 5 light house). I have grudingly decided to forgo a book with completely original commisioned art and have started to look toward Stock Art to round things out. +Oxide JCHart and +Theo Evans are still featured with commisioned pieces, but there will be few if any others. Although I may try and hunt down a cheaper cover artist.
4. Still in the earlest design phases is another OSR adventure that I am currently calling “Creepy Dream Powered Child” which I intend to be my last “darker” adventure for awhile as I attempt to take my own advice and add some WONDER back into the Hobby.
As for other projects. I am currently wondering if the OSR Supers Game will be ready for playtesting in February or if it sohuld be abandoned as there are now a lot of Supers games on the market and frankly I cannot stand next to some of those. I will also be compiling and expending on my races and classes for a “Cartographer’s Guide to the Peoples of Eira” book some time next summer.
One a personal note 2014 will also be the year I offical marry my “wife” who I am not offiically married to. We will be wed on June the 13th (which is also a Friday!) So I will be gone for the better part of June. This is one of th emajor reasons why I switched toward stock art for Innsfjord and Creepy Dream Powered Kid.
Well that’s it for me, tonight is my family’s First Annual New Game Marathon! Which is to say for New Years we willl be playing all the games we got our daughter for Christmas. Including Tsuro, Catan Junior, The Hobbit, Life, and something with a Panda!
